Entertainment Blogs

An online journal about visual art, the urban landscape and design. Mary Louise Schumacher, the Journal Sentinel's art and architecture critic, leads the discussion and a community of writers contribute to the dialogue.

Donovan owes TRUE Skool an apology

Political theater is one thing. It’s what Milwaukeeans have come to expect from Ald. Robert G. Donovan. But to look a group of young people in the eye and call their art and their efforts at bettering the community and themselves “crap” is something else altogether. »Read Full Blog Post

While we strive for a lively and vigorous debate of the issues, we do not tolerate name calling, foul language or other inappropriate behavior. Please see our discussion guidelines and terms of use for more information.

While we do our best to moderate comments, we do not screen comments before they are posted. If you see a comment that violates our guidelines, please use the "Report Abuse" link to notify us of the issue.

"If we filled the city with murals, there wouldn't be nearly as much tagging or gang-related tagging (two very separate groups)."

Why not do something tasteful then. The mural these kids did was crap. OK, let's put a bomber on a wall with a gas mask on and have the downtown skyline be in the background with what appears to be a building going up in smoke...It's crap!

Do something that actually represents a community's history. These kids might actually learn something about the history of the city and have a little bit more respect before they go tagging their crew's name on the side of a building.

you're right. who wants to see art everyday? why put anything out in public that might invoke an emotional response? Let's put anything creative into a big box. Better yet, we should just paint everything beige therefore no one will get upset because I painted my house a color Bob Donovan didn't like.

Fantastic article and I'm very glad Mary Louise wrote this piece. If Ald. Donovan and the police are going to effectively combat vandalism they need to properly understand the difference between vandalism and planned and authorized graffitti art. President Obama was just given a graffiti piece as a gift, and Banksy (underground "UK artist" has sold graffiti art pieces in the hundreds of thousands to the likes of Angelina Jolie. Lots of people understand, like, and appreciate this kind of art. And the lack of understanding by the police and alderman isn't surprising, but it's sure frustrating....

Incredible negativity here. The author of this piece is absolutely right. Teaching kids to focus their energy creatively is a good thing. Condemning it because of an occasional tagger is asinine and utterly ignorant.

There's a time and place for everything. I have to believe there are more postive ways for these young people to express themselves than on the side of a building. I love to appreciate good art, but it is very subjective. It also has a "place" where it fit and were it doesn't.

THANK you. Though I'd also add in, he should ALSO apologize for his suggestion that vandals (who, of course, are NOT necessarily the same as graffiti artists, though Alderman Donovan did not make that distinction) "ought to be hung by their Buster Browns by the nearest light pole." His "legislative aide," Patty Doherty, of course, as you may have read in my forwarded (to you and others concerned)/posted (at the Onion A.V. Club, on my Facebook page) correspondence, helpfully pointed out that that is NOT necessarily lynching (thanks, Patty!). But it IS of course a punishment both cruel and unusual. Some (me, for example) dare call it torture, even. In fact, I would go so far as to suggest that I and others who wrote to Alderman Donovan's office, and who subsequently received only responses from Ms. Doherty, deserve apologies for her rudeness as well. But apparently neither is much concerned not to offend people (e.g., myself, those immediately associated with TRUE Skool, et al.) who DON'T reside in the Alderman's district, and therefore are in no position to vote for him (or not), so ...

"I think Obama should invite TRUE Skool to tag a mural on the White House. Wouldn't that be appropriate?"

yes, this would be unequivocally appropriate. it would fit right in with the Bush's Winston Churchill bust (Churchill ordered in 1952 a crackdown on the Mau Mau rebellion against British colonial rule in Kenya, Obama's ancestral homeland.)

http://www.newsweek.com/2009/02/20/busted-the-churchill-flap.html

Why shouldn't ordinary Americans have at least a little bit of input in how our government buildings are appointed? Wouldn't a mural on the outside wall of the White House be a nice reminder to passers-by and the President himself of city dwellers?

E-mail Newsletter

Keep up with the art scene and trends in urban design with art and architecture critic Mary Louise Schumacher. Every week, you'll get the latest reviews, musings on architecture and her picks for what to do on the weekends.